"Crazy Train" | ||||
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Single by Ozzy Osbourne | ||||
from the album Blizzard of Ozz | ||||
B-side | "You Lookin' at Me Lookin' at You" | |||
Released | 29 August 1980 (UK)
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Recorded | 22 March 1980 | |||
Studio | Ridge Farm Studio, Rusper, West Sussex | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:52 | |||
Label | ||||
Composer(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) | Bob Daisley | |||
Producer(s) |
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Ozzy Osbourne singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Crazy Train" on YouTube | ||||
Animated music video | ||||
"Crazy Train" on YouTube |
"Crazy Train (Live)" | ||||
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Single by Ozzy Osbourne | ||||
from the album Tribute | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 1987 | |||
Recorded | 1981 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:19 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Composer(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) | Bob Daisley | |||
Producer(s) | Max Norman | |||
Ozzy Osbourne singles chronology | ||||
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"Crazy Train" is the debut solo single by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,released in 1980 from his debut album as a solo artist, Blizzard of Ozz (1980). The song was written by Osbourne,Randy Rhoads,and Bob Daisley. The lyrics deal with the subject of the Cold War and the fear of annihilation that existed during that period. [4]
Guitarist Greg Leon,who initially took Randy Rhoads's place in Quiet Riot,has claimed that he helped Rhoads write what would become the iconic "Crazy Train" riff. "We were hanging out,and I showed him the riff to Steve Miller's 'Swingtown'. I said:'Look what happens when you speed this riff up.' We messed around,and the next thing I know he took it to a whole other level and end up writing the 'Crazy Train' riff." [5] Guitarist William Weaver has also claimed to have written the signature riff and then presented the music to Rhoads in a studio session.[ citation needed ]
AllMusic reviewer Steve Huey described the main guitar riff as "a classic,making use of the full minor scale in a way not seen since Ritchie Blackmore's heyday with Deep Purple." [6]
The song is one of Osbourne's best known and recognizable as a solo performer. [7] It was rated 9th-greatest guitar solo ever by readers of Guitar World magazine. [8] The song was also ranked ninth by VH1 on the list of the 40 Greatest Metal Songs [9] and in 2009 it was named the 23rd-greatest hard rock song of all time also by VH1, [10] the highest placement by a solo artist on the list. In 2021,it topped Metal Hammer 's readers' poll of the Top 50 Ozzy Osbourne songs,with the magazine informing that it is Osbourne's most played song,with over 1150 live performances,over 18 million plays on YouTube,and more than 500 million on Spotify (as of March 2023). [11] In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked the song number six on their list of the 100 greatest heavy metal songs. [12]
The single reached No. 49 on the United Kingdom singles chart in 1980. [13] In the United States,the song reached No. 9 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart and the single peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart in 1981. [14] The master ringtone was certified double platinum and had by September 2010 sold 1,750,000 downloads. [15] The Tribute re-release was accompanied by a music video.
1980 studio version
1987 version (originally recorded live in 1981)
2002 re-issue
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Italy (FIMI) [16] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [17] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [18] | 4×Platinum | 4,000,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [18] Mastertone | 2×Platinum | 2,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English musician and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath,during which period he adopted the nickname "Prince of Darkness".
Blizzard of Ozz is the debut studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,released on 12 September 1980 in the UK and on 27 March 1981 in the US. The album was Osbourne's first release following his firing from Black Sabbath in 1979. Blizzard of Ozz is the first of two studio albums Osbourne recorded with guitarist Randy Rhoads prior to Rhoads' death in 1982. In 2017,it was ranked 9th on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".
Diary of a Madman is the second studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. It was released in October 1981,and re-issued on CD on 22 August 1995. This is the last Osbourne studio album to feature guitarist Randy Rhoads and drummer Lee Kerslake. An altered version appeared in 2002 with the original bass and drum parts removed and re-recorded. In 2011,a Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition was released with all original parts restored. To date,the album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
Tribute is a live album by British heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,featuring his work with hard rock guitarist Randy Rhoads,in whose honor the album was released. The album was released in April 1987 in the US and May 1987 in the UK,five years after the death of Rhoads,then it was reissued on 22 August 1995,and again remastered and reissued in 2002. It peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
No Rest for the Wicked is the fifth solo studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. It was released on 28 September 1988,and was re-issued / remastered on 22 August 1995,and again on 25 June 2002. The album was certified gold in December 1988 and has since gone double platinum. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200. It was the first album to feature guitarist Zakk Wylde,keyboardist John Sinclair and the first to feature bassist Bob Daisley since Bark at the Moon.
The Ultimate Sin is the fourth studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. It was released on 24 January 1986,and was remastered and re-issued on CD on 22 August 1995. It is the second and last of Osbourne's albums to feature lead guitarist Jake E. Lee,the first to feature drummer Randy Castillo,and the only album to feature bassist Phil Soussan,who co-wrote the album's hit single "Shot in the Dark".
Randall William Rhoads was an American guitarist. He was the co-founder and original guitarist of the heavy metal band Quiet Riot,and the guitarist and co-songwriter for Ozzy Osbourne's first two solo albums Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981). Rhoads was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
Jake E. Lee is an American musician best known as lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne between 1982 and 1987 and later as a member of the heavy metal band Badlands with Ray Gillen. He formed the band Red Dragon Cartel in 2013,and their debut album released in January 2014 entered the Billboard Album Chart at number 69. He has also recorded solo works under his own name—examples being the instrumental album A Fine Pink Mist (1996) and cover album Retraced (2005).
Bark at the Moon is the third studio album by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,released on 18 November 1983 in the US and on 2 December 1983 in the UK. The album marks Ozzy's change to a synth infused pop-metal sound,with both its "sonic production,and in Ozzy's imaging".
"Mr. Crowley" is a song by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,about English occultist Aleister Crowley. Written by Osbourne,guitarist Randy Rhoads and bass guitarist/lyricist Bob Daisley,it was released on Osbourne's debut solo album Blizzard of Ozz in September 1980 in the United Kingdom. A live version was released as a UK single in November 1980. In North America,the studio version was released as a single in 1981.
"Suicide Solution" is a song by the English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,from his 1980 debut album Blizzard of Ozz.
"Mama,I'm Coming Home" is a power ballad by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne from Osbourne's sixth studio album No More Tears,which first released on 17 November 1991. The song features Osbourne on vocals,Zakk Wylde on guitar,Bob Daisley on bass,and Randy Castillo on drums. Lyrics were written by Lemmy,and the song was produced by Tom Fletcher. Two music videos were also produced to accompany the song's release.
"Flying High Again" is a song performed by English heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne,who additionally was one of its songwriters. It came out in 1981 as a part of his second album as a solo artist,which Osbourne titled Diary of a Madman.
"No More Tears" is the fifth song and title track on the 1991 Ozzy Osbourne album No More Tears. It reached number five on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart,number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100,number 17 on the Dutch Top 40 chart and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Over the Mountain" is the opening track of heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne's album Diary of a Madman. The song debuted at number 42 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart and reached number 38. The song was written by Osbourne,Bob Daisley,Lee Kerslake and Randy Rhoads. The song was later included on the Ozzy Osbourne compilation albums,The Ozzman Cometh on 11 November 1997,The Essential Ozzy Osbourne on 11 February 2003 and Prince of Darkness on 22 March 2005.
"Bark at the Moon" is a song by heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. It was the first single released from his 1983 album of the same name. The music video produced for the song was Osbourne's first. It peaked at #21 on the UK Singles Chart and #12 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks. The song has received critical praise,frequently being voted one of Ozzy's best songs.
The Blizzard of Ozz Tour was the debut concert tour as a solo artist by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,who had been fired from the English group Black Sabbath a year prior. The tour started on 12 September 1980 and concluded on 13 September 1981.
Memoirs of a Madman is a CD/DVD compilation album by heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,released by Epic Records and Legacy Recordings on 14 October 2014.
The Speak of the Devil Tour was the third solo tour by English heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne,in support of his first live album,Speak of the Devil,taking place from December 1982 to May 1983. The tour included two European legs,one North American leg,and a final show at the 1983 US Festival. The personnel in Osbourne's band changed several times during the tour.